Politics as Organized Spectacle: Why the Swiss Do Not Want to Tax the Rich
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2016-01-21
Author(s)
Abstract
In 2015, Swiss voters had the opportunity to impose a tax on the super rich in a popular vote and thereby fund a redistributive policy. However, a large majority voted against its seemingly obvious self-interest and rejected the tax. We propose an explanation for this puzzling outcome, bridging the usually separate behavioralist and institutionalist perspectives on the politics of inequality. We start from the observation that political economy tends to neglect processes of preference formation. Theorizing preferences as socially constructed, we show that interest groups played a major role in shaping the outcome of the vote. Business frames were multiplied through allied parties and the media and had a major impact on individual voting behavior. In addition, we demonstrate that business derives the content of its communication from its structurally privileged position in the capitalist economy. Specifically, creating uncertainty about possible perverse effects of government policies on jobs and growth is a powerful tool to undermine popular support. Frames based on this structural power ultimately explain why the Swiss refrained from “soaking the rich.”
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
SEPS - Global Democratic Governance
Event Title
Annual Conference of the Swiss Political Science Association (SVPW) 2016
Event Location
Basel
Event Date
21.-22.01.2016
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
248547
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Name
Politics as Organized Spectacle.pdf
Size
441.27 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
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